Australia great Brett Lee has revisited one of cricket’s most enduring debates, but his choice for the greatest cricketer of all time is not Sachin Tendulkar. Lee has instead put Jacques Kallis at the top, drawing a distinction between the finest batsman he saw and the most complete cricketer he played against.
Tendulkar, the former India batting great and the only player to score 100 international centuries, has long been regarded as one of the finest batsmen the game has produced. Kallis, the legendary South African all-rounder, built his reputation as a player who could dominate with both bat and ball while also being an outstanding slip fielder.
Lee has long regarded Tendulkar as the best pure batsman to grace the game. But when the discussion moves beyond batting and takes in bowling and fielding as well, the former Australia pacer believes Kallis has the stronger case.
Speaking on the BeerBiceps podcast, Lee explained why he separates the two debates.
“I’ve always said that I think that the best batsman to ever play the game is Sachin Tendulkar. But the best cricketer is Jacques Kallis. He’s got the best numbers in the world. If you look at his stats, the stats don’t lie. He’s incredible.”
WHY KALLIS OVER SACHIN FOR LEE?
Kallis’ numbers certainly provide plenty of ammunition for that argument. The South African remains the only cricketer to have scored more than 10,000 runs and taken over 250 wickets in both Test and ODI cricket.
There is also a personal element to Lee’s assessment. The two shared the Kolkata Knight Riders dressing room for three IPL seasons, from 2011 to 2013, giving Lee a close look at Kallis away from international cricket. Kallis played 56 matches for KKR between 2011 and 2014, while Lee featured for the franchise from 2011 to 2013.
Lee recalled how remarkably relaxed Kallis appeared before going out to bat, even while preparing for another demanding innings.
“But to be alongside as a teammate and to watch him prepare for a game, his heart rate was about 30 beats a minute before going out to bat as he was chilled out. So relaxed,” Lee said.
He also remembered Kallis’ meticulous routine before batting, including the order in which he put on his equipment.
“The way I’d watch him get changed, he’d put his gear on, his batting gear, and he’d put his left sock on first, his other sock would go in his mouth. Same thing every single day,” Lee recalled.
The South African finished his Test career with 13,289 runs and 292 wickets from 166 matches. In ODIs, he added 11,579 runs and 273 wickets from 328 matches. He also took 200 catches in Tests, underlining how much he contributed beyond his primary disciplines.
Tendulkar’s numbers remain extraordinary in their own right. The India icon finished with 34,357 international runs and 100 centuries across 664 matches, including 15,921 Test runs and 18,426 ODI runs.
That is why Lee’s verdict does not necessarily diminish Tendulkar. His argument rests on the distinction between being the greatest batsman and being the most complete cricketer.
A player capable of producing elite performances with the bat, contributing significantly with the ball and holding his own in the field offers a combination that is extremely difficult to match.
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